Iranian state TV has said security forces killed what it called “thugs and rioters” during last month’s mass protests against a petrol price rise.

Activists have accused the authorities of deliberately covering up the scale of the crackdown on the four days of unrest in more than 100 locations.

Amnesty International has said at least 208 people were killed, but others have put the death toll at close to 400.

A judiciary spokesman has dismissed such reports as “utter lies”.

The authorities have not yet released any overall casualty figures.